Etymology

geophagy

G2E1O1P3H4A1G2Y4

Today it means: The practice of eating earthy substances such as clay and chalk, often during famines or thought to augment a mineral-deficient diet. Full definition →

Ancient Greek ἔφᾰγον (éphăgon) ← Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂g- ← English geo-
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The story

  1. Proto-Hellenic*gaya
  2. Ancient Greekγαῖᾰ (gaîă)clip.
  3. Ancient Greekγῆ (gê)
  4. Ancient Greekγεω- (geō-)
  5. Englishgeo-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂g-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*bʰh₂g-
  8. Ancient Greekἔφᾰγον (éphăgon)
  9. English todaygeophagy

From geo- + -phagy.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.